Japan is a conservative country, and its views towards the LGBTQ+ community have often reflected that, with same-sex marriage still not recognized there. These views are rapidly changing, though, and in February 2023, research found that 72 percent of the Japanese public favored its legalization, up from 41 percent in 2015.
Erika Ishii, perhaps best known for their role as Atsu in 2025's Ghost of Yotei, is a staunch advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, and they've taken this advocacy on the road. In a new interview, they have addressed the LGBTQ+ community of gamers and game developers in Japan, saying, "Games are for everyone."
Ishii is one of the most outspoken voices in video games when it comes to LGBTQ+ matters, identifying as genderfluid, queer, and pansexual themselves. They won the Best LGBTQ+ Voice Actor of the Year Award at 2025's Gayming awards, and support non-profits such as Queer Vox, which helps LGBTQ+ voice talent.
In a new interview with Game Spark in Japan (and translated by us at TheGamer), Ishii was asked about queer representation in games and how it has changed.
"The expression has grown tremendously," they said. "It's becoming much more accurate in representing...
